Vaccination of mice with radiation-attenuated larvae of Schistosoma japonicum or S. mansoni

Introduction Partial protection against challenge infections with normal cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni or S. japonicum has been induced by immunization with attenuated cercariae of either species. Immunization was successful in a number of different hosts including laboratory rodents and larger mammals. In most cases cercariae or schistosomula were irradiated with gamma or X-irradiation. There is ample evidence that such attenuated larval schistosomes may induce significant levels of resistance against infection (see reviews, e. g. 2, 23).